ULMS Electronic Module Catalogue

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title Human Resource Management: Academic and Practitioner Perspectives
Code ULMS550
Coordinator Dr SB Raheem
Work, Organisation and Management
Salma.Raheem@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2022-23 Level 7 FHEQ Whole Session 30

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):

 

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:

 

Teaching Schedule

  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 18

24

      18

12

12

84
Timetable (if known) 90 mins X 1 totaling 18
 
120 mins X 1 totaling 24
 
      90 mins X 1 totaling 18
60 mins X 1 totaling 12
60 mins X 1 totaling 12
 
 
Private Study 216
TOTAL HOURS 300

Assessment

EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Professional Research Report There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment.    30       
Professional blog entry. There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment.    20       
Consultancy style report There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment.    30       
Individual executive summary of case study. There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment.    20       

Aims

This module aims to:

Support students’ continuous professional development as HRM practitioners. Professional developmental learning includes both personal and professional skills development;

Develop students’ ability to effectively use data (including finance data) and data analytics, to support HR decision making and develop the professional courage and integrity to bring about positive organisational change. Students will learn to effectively communicate how they bring strategic value to their role as HR practitioners;

Prepare students for a career within the HR field by equipping them with what it takes to be effective people professionals in a rapidly changing world-of-work;

Equip students with core behaviours that will enable them create value for people, organisations, society and the people profession;

Engage students with contemporary HR issues such as hybrid working, use of technology and social media etc.;

Develop student s’ core behaviours and skills required to be effective people professionals as identified in the CIPD Profession Map.


Learning Outcomes

(LO1) Students will be able to demonstrate critical awareness of contemporary HR issues and their changing roles as HR professionals.

(LO2) Students will be able to critically appraise the organisational and environmental context in which they work, explore business and key stakeholders' needs and know how to develop strategies to ensure HR supports organisational strategy and sustainability.

(LO3) Students will be able to demonstrate critical awareness of how to engage in continuous professional development for self and others including demonstrating professional integrity and ethical practice.

(LO4) Students will be able to demonstrate enhanced knowledge of regulation and law relevant to their work as HR professionals, how to apply it, and how to mitigate risk.

(LO5) Students will be able to demonstrate critical awareness of how to create an inclusive workforce.

(LO6) Students will be able to demonstrate competence in financial decision making in HRM practice can contribute to organisational performance and effectiveness.

(LO7) Students will be able to critically appraise the use of technology and social media at work and its impact on the workforce and people practices.

(LO8) Students will be able to critically appraise how technologies can be used to support the delivery of people practices and to make organisations more agile.

(LO9) Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of evidence-based decision making and relevant analytical skills for HR professionals.

(LO10) Students will be able to demonstrate the core behaviours and skills required to be effective HRM professionals as identified in the CIPD Profession Map.

(S1) Adaptability and flexibility for situational decision making
Students will develop their skills of adaptability and flexibility for situational decision making; this includes understanding the uniqueness of a given context, e.g. cultural, political, departmental needs etc. and understanding the impact of the decision on the human capital involved. These will be addressed through seminar case-discussions and activities and through assessments based on real-world examples.

(S2) Problem solving skills using evidence-based approaches
Students will be able to demonstrate problem solving skills which are rooted in evidence-based approaches to ensure that the solution/ insights they provide are robust, credible, comprehensive in including all stakeholders and ethically sound. Students will be able to demonstrate this as a consistent professional skill through all their discussions in lecture, seminar and each of assessments.

(S3) Commercial awareness
Students will develop the ability to demonstrate commercial awareness of how HRM can provide competitive advantage and value addition to core business; this includes being able to understand financial implications of HRM policies and decisions. Students will be provided with opportunities to demonstrate this through analysis of case studies and quizzes in assessments as well as structured seminar sessions on the related module topics.

(S4) Organisation skills
Students will develop organisation skills through their work in seminars, assessment formats, e.g. presentation, and project management of group work.

(S5) Communication skills
Students will develop communication skills through their engagement in lectures, presentations, group work and seminar work as well as through opportunities to engage with external guest speakers.

(S6) IT skills
Students will develop IT proficiency through the use of technology for group work co-ordination throughout the module and during presentations.

(S7) International awareness
Students will engage with international HRM guest speakers (where possible), as well as engage with international HRM topics through module content and will work in cross-cultural groups for both seminar and assessment deliverables.

(S8) Lifelong learning skills
Students will develop lifelong learning skills including reflective practice through professional development (including learning to address their own biases), critical thinking skills, analytical skills, cross-cultural skills, project management and leadership skills, presentation skills and persuasive writing skills through module content.

(S9) Ethical awareness
Students will develop ethical awareness and practice through group work, module content, international case studies of real-world situations and discussion of real-world ethical situations during seminar discussions. Further, students will have the opportunity to understand ethical HRM practice through discussions with guest speakers.

(S10) Leadership, professional courage and influence
Students will develop their leadership skills through professional development exercises, module content and group work as well as demonstrating leadership in providing evidence-based solutions to contemporary issues through the professional blog. In addition, students will also have opportunities to demonstrate professional courage and influence through persuasive writing for assessments, addressing contemporary issues and the status quo in HRM approaches during seminar discussions and by learning from the diverse perspectives of their classmates.

(S11) Teamwork
Students will develop cross-cultural collaboration and teamworking skills, including an understanding of the importance of cultural values and valuing people from diverse backgrounds, through individual and group activities and engagement in seminars and assessments.


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Blended delivery:

1.5 hours face-to-face synchronous lecture per week x 12 weeks
1.5 hours face-to-face guest speaker session per week x 12 weeks
2 hour face-to-face seminar per week x 12 weeks
1 hour peer-to-peer learning per week (unscheduled) x 12 weeks
1 hour online asynchronous learning per week x 12 weeks
Self-directed learning x 216 hours


Syllabus

 

On a weekly basis, the syllabus will cover a new topic, each of which is linked to foundational learning acquired in core taught modules on the programme. Each topic will be explored from the perspective of bridging the practitioner-academic gap, to understand real-world complexities and challenges in HR practice. Weekly interactions with HR professionals will allow students to listen to and ask questions of current practice. Weekly seminars need preparation and require students to apply their learning through a critical and analytical perspective to enable them to provide evidence-based solutions to given problem contexts.

The teaching and learning strategy will use a case-based approach to facilitate the application of evidence-based research to practitioner skill development and decision-making.

Learning materials will broadly focus on key topics aligned with the CIPD Profession Map on core knowledge and behaviours including:

HRM in a globalised context;
Inc lusive HRM practice and working inclusively;
Wellbeing;
Ethics/Ethical practice;
Strategic HRM;
Analytical skills for HRM;
Financial decision making in HRM practice;
Employee relations and collective bargaining /unions/employment and labour law relevant to the HR profession;
Contemporary issues such as: Managing employees in an age of social media/ use of tech/ hybrid working/ AI in recruitment;
Professional courage and influence;
Evidence-based practice;
Continuous professional development for self and others.


Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.